The 2013 fall sitting of the first session of the 33rd Yukon Legislative Assembly adjourned on December 19, 2013.

During this sitting the Assembly passed the Health Information Privacy and Management Act. The act “will raise the bar on privacy and security of personal health information,” Minister of Health and Social Services Doug Graham said in a press release.

The fall sitting commenced on October 31, 2013.

Lobbying

“Lobbyists: ‘Misunderstood’ in poll” by Tal Kopan in Politico.

Campaign Finance

“There’s No Way to Follow the Money” by Lee Aitken in The Atlantic.

Arizona: “For all the campaign finance limit marbles” by The Yellow Sheet Report in the Arizona Capitol Times.

Minnesota: “Minn. campaign money regulator promises to fix problems leading to faulty finance data” by The Associated Press in The Republic.

Ethics

“Report: Chinese hackers attacked crucial government election website” on CNN Politics.

“Ethics Committee Will Investigate Trey Radel” by Emma Dumain in Roll Call.

Florida: “Ethics commission offers advice on use of office” by Bill Cotterell in The Florida Current.

Legislative Issues

“Lackluster Final Score for Congress This Year: 8 to 22” by David Hawkings in Roll Call.

“Angry About Partisan Gridlock in Washington? Blame the States.” By Donald F. Kettl in Governing.

Louisiana: “Lawsuit challenging Louisiana’s congressional districts withdrawn” by The Associated Press in The Times-Picayune.

New Jersey: “State legislative panels scramble to advance hundreds of bills” by Michael Phillis and Leslie Brody in the Bergen Record.

On December 6, the Missouri General Assembly adjourned its first special session sine die.

The legislative body convened earlier in the week to prepare an aerospace industry incentive bill.

Effective immediately, Senate Bill 1 is designed to encourage growth and expansion of the aerospace industry and serves as an incentive proposal for Boeing to build its new commercial 777X airplane within the state.

Photo of the Missouri State Capitol courtesy of RebelAt on Wikimedia Commons.

Legislators are meeting today, Monday, December 2, 2013, for a special session to consider a package of tax breaks designed to give Boeing a reason to bring thousands of jobs to the state. Gov. Jay Nixon called the special session and asked legislators to approve a $150 million incentive package with extensions of existing economic development programs.

Nixon hopes the package will attract Boeing’s 777X program after a machinists union in Washington State rejected the company’s long-term contract proposal earlier this month.

Prior to the union vote, Washington legislators passed a package of incentives with the largest tax breaks any state had ever offered to a corporation.

Photo of the Missouri Capitol courtesy of RebelAt on Wikimedia Commons.

Gov. Scott Walker has called a special session of the Legislature to address the implications of the troubled federal launch of the Affordable Care Act.

The special session will begin on December 2, 2014.

Walker hopes lawmakers will agree to delay the transfer of over 77,000 Medicaid cases from BadgerCare to health exchanges.

Photo of the Wisconsin State House courtesy of Dori on Wikimedia Commons.

The New Hampshire Legislature adjourned its special session on November 21, 2013.

Gov. Maggie Hassan had called for the extra legislative session to consider the Medicaid Expansion Study Commission’s report recommending the state accept $2.5 billion in federal funds to expand Medicaid. However, the Legislature did not follow her recommendation and did not pass any health care legislation.

In her press release Hassan expressed her disappointment and assigned blame, stating, “Today, members of the Senate Republican caucus let down the people of New Hampshire by refusing to compromise to develop a health care expansion plan that would actually work.”

Photo of the New Hampshire State House courtesy of Alexius Horatius on Wikimedia Commons.

Lawmakers ended the 2013 regular session early Friday morning, November 15, 2013, after approving an anti-abortion license plate, increased coverage for mental health services, and changes to voting hours and voter ID laws.

The first special session concerning property tax relief concluded earlier this week, but Gov. Scott Walker plans to call a second special session sometime in December to delay the transfer of Medicaid cases from BadgerCare to health exchanges.

Legislators return for the 2014 regular session January 14, 2014.

Photo of the Wisconsin State Capitol by Dori on Wikimedia Commons.

On November 12, the Legislature adjourned its second special session sine die. The legislative body convened in October to address marriage equality.

Effective December 2, the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act of 2013 recognizes marriages between individuals of the same sex, and extends to same-sex couples all rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of marriage.

The special session of the Washington Legislature adjourned Saturday, November 9, marking the third special legislative session this year.

The purpose of the special session was to consider legislation containing tax incentives for Boeing and the aerospace industry in exchange for retaining manufacturing operations in the state.

Photo of the Washington State Capitol by Bluedisk in Wikimedia Commons.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly has launched a new and improved website. The new site makes it easier to track general assembly activities, with scheduled committee meetings listed right on the home page. The site also includes an improved legislative search feature, with a new email tracking system allowing users to sign up for email alerts when legislation of interest changes status.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi said the change was designed to bring greater transparency to the General Assembly’s activities and make it easier for citizens to track legislative activities.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly website can be found at www.legis.state.pa.us.

Governor Jay Inslee has called a special session of the Washington Legislature in the hopes of passing legislation to entice Boeing to bring the construction of its new airliner, the 777X, to Washington.

The special session will convene Thursday.

Photo of the Washington State Capitol courtesy of Bluedisk at Wikimedia Commons.

Lobbying

“Lobbyists shift strategy amid gridlocked Congress” by Catherine Ho in The Washington Post.

“GOP hardliners reach out to K Street” by Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman in Politico.

“Primary challenges would require shift from Chamber of Commerce” by Kevin Bogardus in The Hill.

“Grocery Manufacturers Assn. Discloses Federal and Washington State Lobbying” by Kent Cooper in Roll Call’s Political MoneyLine.

“Lobbying Heats Up Before Farm Talks” by Ron Nixon in The New York Times.

Campaign Finance

“Political influence by county: A new way to look at campaign finance data” by Ryan Sibley and Bob Lannon and Ben Chartoff in the Sunlight Foundation Blog.

California: “California’s political watchdog settles with shadowy Arizona group criticized for not disclosing donors” by Jessica Calefati in the San Jose Mercury-News.

California: “Political watchdog to levy $1-million fine on out-of-state groups” by Chris Megerian and Anthony York in the Los Angeles Times.

Connecticut: “Reporters grill Malloy on fundraisers” by Ken Dixon in the Connecticut Post.

District of Columbia: “McDuffie’s Campaign Finance Reform Bill Isn’t Strong Enough, Says Wells” by Matt Cohen in dcist.com.

New York: “Ex-Liu campaign treasurer appeals conviction in NY” by Larry Neumeister in the Post-Star.

Wisconsin: “Wisconsin lawmakers rake in special interest money” by Donovan Slack in the Fond du Lac Reporter.

Ethics

Iowa: “Three words make big difference in Iowa legislative ethics rules” by James Q. Lynch in the Sioux City Journal.

State Legislatures

Montana lawmaker term limits: “Montana lawmakers seek to strengthen Legislature” by The Associated Press in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

Tech and Social Media

“Change.org Enables Elected Leaders To Respond To Petitions” by Sarah Lai Stirland in TechPresident.

On October 16, the Utah Legislature adjourned its one-day special session sine die. The Legislature passed bills authorizing state funds to open and operate national parks, monuments, and recreation areas, to cover the benefits of certain unpaid furloughed employees, and to offset obligations caused by delays in federal funding to the Child Nutrition Program. Gov. Gary Herbert signed the bills Wednesday night.

Gov. Mike Beebe issued a call to bring the General Assembly into special session to address the health insurance rate increase facing the Public School Employee Plan. The special session will begin Thursday, October 17, and is expected to conclude by the end of the day on Saturday, October 19, 2013.

Beebe is confident bipartisan efforts will pass bills designed to stabilize retirement plans for teachers and public school employees.

Photo of the Arkansas State Capitol courtesy of jglazer75 in Wikimedia Commons.